Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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159. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to set specific annual targets for diversification of Ireland's forest estate away from the monocultural sitka plantations and towards the restoration of native and broadleaf forests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66274/25]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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The current Forestry Strategy for Ireland is committed to the right trees in the right places for the right reasons and with the right management over the 2023 – 2030 period. The Forestry Programme 2023-2027 is key to the implementation of this strategy in the immediate term and can facilitate the planting of up to 8,000 hectares of new forests annually across 12 Forest Types.

Afforestation is a voluntary land use choice. However, the Afforestation Scheme, contained within the Forestry Programme offers landowners a broad range of planting options including for example, Native Woodland, Continuous Cover Forestry and Emergent Forests. A 20% broadleaf species component is now mandatory for all mixed forest types, including Sitka spruce, thus supporting increased biodiversity and habitat linkages.

In addition, the annual broadleaf target has increased from 30% to 50% of total annual planting. This is reflected in a substantial increase of 66% in premium rates for the establishment of a native forest with €1,103 per hectare available to plant native forests and €1,142 per hectare payable for native forests for water over a period of 15 or 20 years. A Native Tree Area Scheme was also introduced to facilitate small-scale planting and does not require an afforestation licence. It offers premiums of up to €2,284 for 10 years.

Landowners who planted conifers when they established their forests, who might wish to replant with native trees after their harvest, they may apply to the new Climate Resilient Reforestation (CRR) Pilot Scheme. This offers supports to forest owners at reforestation that incentivise species diversity and structural diversity.

The Forestry Programme also provides for measures relating to the management and conservation of existing forests, including for the development of skills that allow owners and their foresters to sustainably manage their forests. A new iPLAN scheme is due to launch in coming weeks for Forest Management Plans, which will promote more active forest management resulting in forests that have greater capacity to deliver ecosystem services, climate resilience, roundwood value and forest health vitality.

I am hopeful that the attractive and increased rates and supports under the Forestry Programme will facilitate uptake of both diverse afforestation and forest conservation measures. I am committed to working with all stakeholders to achieve lasting benefits from forestry not just for climate change, but for biodiversity, wood production, economic development